Now the LA Times puts up a paywall

The Los Angeles Times has joined the growing number of US newspapers charging people to read their online content.

But the paper, unlike the majority of other papers, will also charge its print subscribers a monthly fee to access its website.

After getting a one-month trial at a discounted 99 cents a week (63p) print subscribers will have to pay a weekly charge of $1.99 ($1.26) while others must fork out $3.99 (£2.53). They are able to view 15 articles for free.

The New York Times began charging a year ago followed by the Boston Globe. And the Gannett chain recently announced that it will put most of its 80 community newspapers around behind a paywall by the end of this year.

Plenty of analysts question these moves, arguing that social-media-savvy users are accustomed to getting their digital news for free.

"The horse has left the barn on this one," says Paul Levinson, author of New New Media. The attempt to create premium pricing on the internet will only hurt newspapers further, he says.

Why? Because, he says, "it inhibits connectivity." And connectivity is what the net is all about.